Exercising has long been recognized as an important factor in maintaining the well being of an individual. The popularity of aerobic exercises, especially jogging, has been steadily increasing. By jogging, or even walking at a fast pace, the greatest energy expenditure can be achieved in the least amount of time. Such exercises have been recommended for physical fitness as well as for cardiovascular purposes.
While many people jog outdoors, it has long been felt that suitable devices are needed to permit indoor jogging thereby permitting continuity of exercising even in inclement weather. Additionally, in many areas there is very limited availability of proper exercising areas outdoors.
Furthermore, many people only have time for exercising during the evening hours and then hesitate going outdoors because of the darkness. In many situations, outdoor jogging requires running on an uneven surface which causes leg, knee and foot injuries. Even with proper footgear many individuals do not know how to jog properly without injuring themselves on the hard or uneven surface and thus are forced to discontinue their activities.
In order to alleviate these problems there has been introduced numerous indoor jogging devices. Most of these devices include a treadmill or endless belt type of surface placed on a base member with a handle bar upwardly extending from the elevated base member. In some cases the mechanism is motorized whereby the treadmill is power driven and the speed of the rotation of the belt can be adjusted. However, these devices are not portable for home use. Also, they are extremely expensive, heavy, and are prone to frequent breakdowns because of the heavy force which they must endure.
Other jogging apparatus are non-motorized. In these types, the endless belt is connected to move on large rollers which are usually large wooden rollers. This type is called a treadmill jogger. This type of apparatus has an elevated base with handle bars extending from the elevated base. It is used by facing the elevated base and holding onto the handle bars. During usage, the feet move in a backward direction. Typically, this type of apparatus has at least two fixed settings for incline adjustment at the elevated base end. It also includes two tension adjustments at each corner of the front base end. However, the adjustments are quite unreliable and are troublesome. Resistance to jogging is either lacking or too great with a result that the exercise is neither beneficial nor comfortable. Since the rollers are usually made of hard wood and are large with a wide spacing, it produces much discomfort to the soles of the feet and provides an excessive amount of vibration and noise.
With all prior art treadmill devices, it is necessary to fully jog on the treadmill in order to utilize the device. However, many individuals who would like to exercise are not capable or are not permitted to jog at a fast pace. For example, elderly individuals may want to utilize the device but cannot jog. For such individuals a fast walking pace would be sufficient to provide them with the needed exercise. Furthermore, all individuals when first entering onto the exercise device and commencing their exercise routine should begin with a slow exercise and build up to a fast pace. Similarly, before stopping the exercise there should also be a gradual slowing down of the pace. This unwinding period frequently includes walking or jogging at a slower pace. However, with prior devices, walking on the device was in many instances too straining for a steady, uniform stride.
Specifically, with the use of a treadmill, there is provided a single moving surface on the base member. Especially in the non-motorized type, the movement of the foot pushes onto the treadmill and makes it rotate. However, as one foot is pushing back to move the treadmill, the other foot must be removed from the treadmill or it will move back on the treadmill and the individual may slip or fall. Accordingly, in using prior art jogging devices, it was necessary to have only one foot on the treadmill surface at a time. To achieve this it was necessary to jog. In walking, frequently both feet will be on the surface for at least a portion of the time. Accordingly, walking exercising was not always achievable with prior art jogging devices.
A further problem with prior art jogging devices concerns the degree of restraint. Since the handle bars are at the elevated end of the device, it can be used only at that end. Also, since the adjustments for incline and tension are both limited and troublesome to alter, the individual can rarely arrive at a suitable adjustment to suit him.
However, it has been found that in jogging or walking fast downhill, additional muscles are utilized in the leg and body and it would be beneficial to provide for both uphill and downhill jogging in order to have a complete workout. Such jogging was not achievable with the prior art devices since the device could only be raised at one end, and the handle bars were provided at that same end.
Other problems with prior art devices concern the maintanence and upkeep of the device. Because of the presence of the treadmill, there was always a tendancy of the endless belt to wear and tear along its sewed or joined seam. Also, there was great vibration in the device since it required the endless belt to move on large rollers usually wooden. The vibration tended to cause damage to the device itself and also provided a very uncomfortable feeling for the user. The belt surface would also wear, and the constant pounding force caused an erratic stop and go type of jogging motion which reduced the longevity of the useful life of the device.
Because of the foregoing and numerous other reasons, exercising experts have advised against utilizing such indoor treadmill devices and, as a result, sales of these devices have been at a virtual standstill.